Saria's Song
by Selphie Kinneas 175
Summary: OoT. One-shot. "Will you play your song for me? One last time?" Link and Saria spend their last moments of innocence and ignorance together. Tomorrow, everything changes.


**A/N:** This is a short one-shot exploring the moment Link leaves Kokiri Forest and says goodbye to Saria. Enjoy :)

This one-shot has recently been made into an audiobook by a reader! I had no hand in its creation, so please show the creator some love. It can be found on the YouTube channel DragonRand100 Audiobook, titled "Archives of Hyrule- Episode 1- Saria's Song." They did a beautiful job on it. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: _The story below contains intellectual properties from Nintendo Co., including, but not limited to, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda franchise, and are in no way owned by myself, nor do I claim ownership of any of the events that directly correlate with previous installments made by Nintendo Co. in the franchise The Legend of Zelda._

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**Saria's Song**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

**.:.**

"Oh, you're leaving…"

Her voice stopped him in his tracks.

He froze before turning to meet her sad eyes. His mind had been elsewhere entirely; he didn't even see her as he ran past. The old wood of the bridge creaked beneath him as he stepped closer.

He stood beside her at the rope just barely keeping the bridge together - the bridge leading out of Kokiri Forest and into Hyrule Field, a place he never thought he would see in his lifetime. She averted his gaze and sat down on the wooden planks, letting her feet dangle. He followed suit.

"I kinda hoped you wouldn't see me…" he whispered.

She looked at him curiously, though she knew the answer, "Why?"

He couldn't look back at her, "It's harder this way… having to say goodbye."

Her gaze lingered until her heart told her to stop. She swung her feet leisurely over the grassy forest below, the sounds of nature filling the silence.

"I knew… that you would leave the forest… someday, Link…" she began, looking at him again with a bitter smile, "Because you are different from me and my friends…"

Link frowned, "Mido said I would never be one of you."

Saria sighed, "Mido's a bum, but… he's right."

Link turned to her with a look of hurt.

"You're meant to be something greater than all of us, Link… You're meant to do more," she explained.

He didn't look any more pleased, "I don't want to be greater. I don't want to do more. I just… want to stay with my friends."

Saria gazed at him forlornly. She reached over and grabbed his hand.

"The Great Deku Tree gave you a task, didn't he?"

He nodded.

"Well?"

"He told me I need to go to the princess, that I need to stop an evil man."

Saria said nothing; she remained silent in support.

Link teared up, "Mido said I let the Great Deku Tree die…"

Saria sighed, "Mido says stupid things."

Link pulled his hand away. He twiddled his fingers in discomfort and got to his feet abruptly. He paced and fiddled and his mind ran faster than his heart.

"I'm supposed to do all this stuff, save people… how am I supposed to do that? I've never been anything. I've always just been the weird one, the boy so different a fairy wouldn't even come to him. Mido's right – I'm no good and I'm not like any of you and it's all my fault the Great Deku Tree died, I can't do any of it, Saria," he sniffled, his emotions growing stronger than him, "What am I supposed to do?"

Silence lingered for only a moment, and then his friend… smiled.

"A fairy _did_ come to you, though… right?"

He looked at her with contemplation, then he looked at Navi with a look of comfort, "Yeah…"

"Everything will fall into place and eventually make sense just like she did. You'll figure it all out as you go. I know you will."

He sniffed and wiped his hands over his eyes. He collected himself with a huff and resumed his seat beside her. She stared off across the forest, the chirping of the birds in the trees and the steady rocking of the leaves in the wind the only sounds they heard. Link watched Navi flit around happily with Saria's companion, and he wondered if fairies had the same feelings of fear as people did.

Link turned to Saria and he asked quietly, "Will you play your song for me?"

Saria looked at him in surprise.

"One last time?"

She smiled and gave a nod. She pulled her ocarina from her pocket and pressed it to her lips. The little flute carried a large sound. It echoed somberly between the branches and shrubs. Its tune was cheery, and Link closed his eyes and allowed the melody to warm his heart. He swayed to the joyful song, and time was lost to them, but neither cared to search for it.

Everything would change. Life as he knew it would no longer be. He'd always been different, outcast, like he was never truly meant to be where he was, with who he was. The children didn't understand him, some even genuinely disliked him, but Saria had always been his friend. She had always accepted him, and when he was with her, he didn't feel out of place. The strange, wide world made sense, and he felt, in those fleeting moments, like he belonged.

He lost himself in her song. He thought not of distant princesses or wicked, desert men. He thought not of the daunting task given to him by the late Deku Tree. The world could wait. The goddesses, princesses, and evil men could wait. Now, he would drink in this time of innocence and ignorance. He would melt into the melody and into his best friend beside him.

Saria played for time uncounted. She leaned against her childhood friend and the tune grew slower. The birds cawed in the distance, little animals scurried through the grass. The wind picked up and the bridge creaked. When sunlight began to fade and crickets began to sing, she lowered her instrument.

Link opened his eyes and found himself back in the real world. He breathed deep and exhaled slowly. At last, Saria got to her feet, clutching her flute to her heart.

"You have to go… but that's okay, because we'll be friends forever… won't we?"

Link didn't say anything; he did that most often. He stood to meet her, and slowly he nodded.

"I want you to have this ocarina… Please take good care of it."

She extended the instrument to him, and he eyed it in wonder. His hand did not immediately react to his brain, instead, he just stared. He stared at the ocarina, then at the kind eyes of his green-haired friend. She smiled, and he took it.

He looked it over, tears welling up in his blue eyes. He held it firmly and clutched it momentarily to his heart just the same.

"When you play my ocarina, I hope you will think of me and come back to the forest to visit."

Their eyes locked, their bodies froze. Fireflies and forest spirits danced between them, but neither noticed. He couldn't hear the squawking of the birds or the rustling of the leaves. His heart threatened to leap from his chest, and he forgot to breathe. His eyes were glued to her, but all she could do was smile sadly.

Saying goodbye was too hard.

In an instant, he turned and ran, trying to hide the tears that flowed from his bloodshot eyes.

But Saria saw.

She simply watched as he grew smaller and smaller until the darkness of night concealed him. She listened for his rapid footfalls until they were masked by the sounds of the forest. She waited, and watched, until he was completely gone.

He was meant for so much more; he was meant for something greater.

He would be changed… But she would be here when he would return, playing her song to guide him to her.

Until duty would call her elsewhere… until she could be here no longer.

For she was meant for more as well.

They would both be something greater.

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_**End.**_

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_A big thank you to the following for helping me get this one-shot out there!_

Big Jake, Lee Glerum, Jared Thomason, Moonfairy, Jacob Peachey, Owen Reilly, Anonymouse, Ivalee, Lotus Eater, Ethan Carney Fesler, Silvia Delgado, Sabine, wingdesire, Brandan Saldaña, Eponas, Rob Walters, Yami No Nokutan, Mandelbrot, Jessie, Gabby-J, Claudia, Chloe Rose, Debora, SonadowKokoro100

_You guys are amazing!_


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